


Partners Against Crime

by thatzodiacsky



Category: Homestuck
Genre: M/M, Monster Hunters AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-15
Updated: 2012-10-15
Packaged: 2017-11-16 08:46:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,081
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/537624
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thatzodiacsky/pseuds/thatzodiacsky
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jake and John sneak out after dark to fight supernatural stuff and they also flirt a lot. A contribution for HSO earlier this year.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Partners Against Crime

Moonlight cut the streets below into vivid patches of light and dark, shadows and rooftops lit up like a chessboard. A fuzzy beam of a flashlight shone bravely from an alleyway, jumping and flickering on the brick wall opposite. It grew brighter as its owner headed towards it.

The running footsteps were already audible, and in fact had been for quite some time, though the faint pattering noise had been indistinguishable from the dripping pipes until now. There was a splash as the runner stumbled into a puddle, and a yelped curse echoed from the alley. 

Panting, a teenage boy shot out into the street. He was dressed in an oversized pair of coveralls and torn up sneakers, his left leg soaked to the knee from the puddle incident. He carried an enormous backpack made from gizmos and tubes that spat sparks and he craned his neck to look past it, squinting his eyes in the gloom as he stopped, one foot on the far pavement. 

Had he escaped his pursuer?

A low growl rumbled from the shadows he’d just left.

Apparently not.

He didn’t seem bothered though, stepping the rest of the way up onto the pavement and tucking his hands into his pockets. A cocky grin lit his face, and he spoke seemingly to no one, his voice not loud enough to be intended for the creature in the shadows.

“Brought her!” His tone was cheerful, with a hint of triumph.

There was no answer. Across from him, the animal growled again, then stepped from the shadows and into the street. Moonlight caught on its fur, lighting up a frame the size of a small car. 

Another step, and it was fully illuminated and revealed as a snarling beast, wolf-like in shape. Dark fur ringed its green eyes, though the rest of its coat was a pale silver color.

Another step.

A gunshot rang out, the origin a point in one of the supposedly abandoned buildings, just above and behind the boy’s left shoulder. 

The boy jumped in surprise, and then he shook his head, commenting without looking for the shooter.

“You better not have killed her, Jake.” He hopped off the curb, trotting over to the beast which had crumpled to the pavement. It trembled and began to shrink, and by the time his grubby sneakers stopped it was a girl, unconscious on the ground in green squiddle pajamas.  
“Oh, hush, it was just a silver dart. Can’t hardly kill my own sister, can I?” There was laughter and the sound of boots clumping on stairs as Jake left his post and followed the boy into the street. 

“All that aside,” he continued, kneeling down to roll her onto her back, plucking the slim dart from the tanned skin of her neck, “You now officially owe me, old chap.”

John frowned, nudging at Jade with his toe. She didn’t wake up. “That’s not fair, I lured her all the way here. Cut me some slack!”

The older boy tsk’ed. “That wasn’t part of the deal, and you know it. If the threat was neutralized by one of my methods, I win. If you could stop it with your ghost-killing backpack--” “Ghostbusting” -- “Then you win the bet. Now, pay up.”

John grumbled something about them making the bet before they knew it was Jake’s sister, but shoved his hand into his pocket anyway and passed over a wadded up twenty dollar bill. Jake thanked him and smoothed it out on his knee before folding it and tucking it away.

“Shall we get going?” 

John shrugged. “You’ll have to carry Jade; she’s taller than I am.” 

“She’s nearly as tall as me, too!” Jake replied with a merry laugh, but she was rail-thin and he was able to lift her easily, slinging her over his shoulder. “Walk you home?”

Though it was ridiculous to carry Jade all the way to John’s house and then back to their own house, John nodded. “You’d better. It’s your fault I’m out this late anyway.” Well, it was Jake’s fault Jade had escaped the house, so he could probably put the blame on him for this.

Jake chuckled, steering the two of them towards John’s house, his free hand on the shorter boy’s shoulder. “Not to fear, I’ll get you safely home. Can’t lose my partner in crime, you know.”

“Partner against crime,” John corrected, directing a half-assed punch to the shoulder that wasn’t supporting Jade. “Because that’s what you’re doing here.”

“Are you calling my sister a crime?” teased Jake, but he knew what he meant. “We’re doing a marvelous job so far, though. Not counting her, that’s what? Three ghosts and a vampire this week?”

“Two vampires.” 

“Your sister’s girlfriend’s sister’s girlfriend doesn’t count because we didn't do anything about her.” Jake didn’t even pause as he rattled off the mouthful of relations.

Their playful banter continued as they made their way down the street, only lowering their voices as they approached John’s street. The buildings were larger and more well-kept by now, with wide lawns and basketball hoops. None of the lights were on, and John shucked off his backpack, tossing it under one of the hedges. The sparks had long stopped, and he worried he’d have to remake it. It wasn’t his problem at the moment though, as he craned his neck up to check his bedroom window. Yep, still open. It’d be no issue at all to climb up there.

“Night, Jade.” he pressed a kiss to the back of her head -- all that was visible from her current position. “See you at school tomorrow.” The only reply he got was a groggy mumble. 

Shrugging, he turned and addressed Jake. “Still on for movies this weekend?”

“Wouldn’t dream of missing it.” 

Satisfied, John turned to go. 

“Hold up, then. Don’t I get a kiss too?” He pointed at the spot on Jade’s scap where John had kissed her just moments ago, faking jealousy.

John stifled a laugh, and stood on tiptoe to kiss his friend on the cheek. “You’re ridiculous. Now get off the lawn, Dad might hear us. Besides, you should get Jade home before she gets sick.”

Nodding in assent, Jake waved goodbye and walked backwards, waiting until John was safely through his window before turning to go. This wasn’t the first time he’d snuck back in that way in the middle of the night, and the way things were going, it probably wouldn’t be the last.


End file.
